Naked Demon Butler
by SandPrincess13
Summary: Isabella Swan summoned a demon to protect her when she was kidnapped and gruesomely tortured. He will do everything in his power as her butler to protect her body and mind. Everything. Rated M for violence and lemons. Drabble. Demonward.
1. Prologue

**I hope that this does not end up becoming the actual Title of the story. I really hope so. This story was inspired by "Black Butler," an anime I happen to adore. If you have seen it, I am hoping that you know the dynamics of their relationship. But this story is a little different. See how it is marked as a Romance? Yeah. Also the Title. I like Sebastian a lot, okay?**

 **.**

 **Prologue**

 _-Then-_

 _Slash._

 _Thud._

Another down.

"You demon!" someone screamed as they crawled away from him. "What are you?" the man shrieked. He cocked his head to a side with an amused little smile.

"Excellent observation skills, kind sir." The words sounded like sugar and cinnamon rolling from his tongue. "I don't have the inclination to devour your soul this evening," he grinned, his knifelike teeth on display, purple eyes gleaming with joy.

"Please, mercy," the sobbing man pleaded.

"Your order, my lady?" He looked over his shoulder, his eyes fixed on her naked form. She stared at the heap of men lying around her, soaked in her blood—in their own blood.

"I, Isabella Marie Swan, command you to execute my abductor in the cruelest manner possible." Her mismatched eyes had anger in them that pleased the demon like no other.

He raised his hand, bowed down reverently.

"Most certainly, my lady."

He turned, his eyes fixed on his prey. "The pleasure is all mine," he sang as he sliced through the man's body with a stroke of his hand. He leaned forward and grabbed onto his heart and ripped it out. He grinned at the horrified look in the dying man's eyes, sensing the last shred of sentience leaving the body.

"Such a waste," he clucked his tongue.

"You may help yourself to their souls... Edward." His eyes glittered as moved towards her, slipping a long cloak from one of the dead bodies.

He had finally been named by his master.

"Thank you for the honor, my lady." She gave him the quick nod and then went back to scrutinizing the bodies on the floor. As he slid the fabric over the body, she heard him whisper, "I want no other soul than yours."

"I'd rather you be well fed and at my disposal, servant. I don't want you distracted because you are hungry. I am certainly not a cruel master."

"You are most kind, my lady."

He watched her secure the cloak around herself. He could see that she was avoiding looking at his naked body, the body that was constructed to fulfill every command she would utter.

"Let me help you with that, my lady." She whipped around, fear gripping her heart at the shock of his sudden arrival. "Fret not, my young mistress, I will always be at your side... as your shadow. Nothing will ever hurt you again." He extended his arm towards her, willing her to take it. "I promise."

She looked him right in the eye.

"You'll suffer my wrath if you betray me, demon."

She took his hand and let him lead her home.

 _What a wonderful mistress I have acquired,_ he thought gleefully. _Indeed, it would be interesting to see this caterpillar turn into a beautiful butterfly._

 **.**

 _._ **Thanking everyone that commented on those anxious posts I made about the story and gave me the courage to post. To Jamie, Snow, Lotus, and Syd for reading through it and telling me that this title was the "next best thing." I am looking at you, Lotus. This is on you. :3**

 **Updates on alternate days.**

 **I'm writing this story for fun. Let me know if you want to read more!**

 **Leave me some love. Reviews are better than getting ogled (sort of) by Edward (not, really).**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	2. Chapter One

**Posting early because I am excited. Not beta'd. The mistakes are mine.**

 **.**

 **Chapter One**

 _-Now-_

" _My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun..._ " She smiled as she heard him start.

"Coral is far more red than her lip's red," she said, her eyes still closed. "Are you trying to call me ugly, Edward? I don't think I appreciate that." He snickered as he combed his fingers through her hair.

"My mistress," he said as he leaned close to her ear. "Your eyes are indeed nothing like the sun. I'd say humanity would be quite frightened if the sun starts glowing brown and black."

"Then what would you compare my eyes to? To flatter me, of course."

"Without a doubt, I would compare it to a black hole."

She seemed unimpressed, so he continued with his dissection of the aesthetic value of her eyes. "It is quite similar to a space-time plane in which the gravitational force is so strong that even light cannot escape from inside it. Moreover, it possesses the ability to distort time. If that does not describe your eyes, I do not know what does."

Seemingly satisfied with himself, he took the showerhead in one hand and gently let the water ease over her forehead.

She shivered as he washed the froth from her hair, his fingers dancing across her scalp, sending shards of pleasure throughout her body.

Her hair had always been so sensitive.

"I'm impressed by your ability to make someone feel beautiful, Edward. It's not often that someone with that talent is born."

"Your praise is most appreciated, ma'am, but you forget that it is my job to take care of you, satisfy all your whims, and make sure that you never face any hardship. I am just doing my job."

When he was done washing her hair, he gently slid his hands under her head and cupped her nape. He raised her head and proceeded to squeeze the excess water out of her hair. He tied a towel on her head and then tapped on her shoulder to get her attention.

"Yes?" her voice was low, sounding oddly at peace.

"Your next appointment is in fifteen minutes, my lady. The biscuits have already been baked and prepared for presentation and the living room rearranged to suit your professional comfort."

"I would like you to retrieve the Longman files from my office and arrange it for my convenience. Also, bring me a cup of Darjeeling tea. I have a headache." She opened her eyes and took his offered hand. She pulled herself to her feet and stepped out of the bathtub.

"Certainly," he said as he watched her walk across the bathroom. He saw her stop momentarily in front of the mirror to look at her reflection.

She looked away in a flash, her eyes cold; a pinched expression replaced the peaceful one from a few moments ago. She rushed out of the room. He followed hot on her heels.

He assumed that the tea would have to be extra strong to sweeten her mood. A little honey and lemon never did hurt anyone.

As he was leaving the master bedroom he heard the sound of a scream.

"So much to do, such little time," he sighed.

 **.**

 **Thank you to the people who have commented (both on Facebook and on ). It means a lot to me. I will reply to each and every one of you. Send me your questions in your reviews and I'll try my best to clear up the confusion!**

 **Next update in two days. Unless you make me extremely happy.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	3. Chapter Two

**Thank you so much for the comments! As promised, here is the new chapter. Scroll down for an important note.**

 **Not beta'd. No copyright infringement intended.**

 **.**

 **Chapter Two**

 _-Now-_

He rushed towards the sound of the commotion, knowing well that it was possibly the cook who had made a blunder and burned down the biscuits he had made specifically for the meeting.

As expected, he was right.

He was beyond reprimanding the other workers. They had their own use. He simply guided them to other directions as he worked his magic throughout the house.

He instructed the maid to retrieve a batch of biscuits that he had prepared in case the original batch faced a disaster. He then moved to search for the perfect teapot that would complement the taste of the tea.

When he reached the living room, Isabella was sitting on the couch, reading the report. He smiled as he made her the cup of tea and placed it on the coaster. She offered him a nod as her gaze fell on him and then reached out for the cup of tea. Habitually, he pushed the cup towards her fingers and then straightened up, waiting for the doorbell to ring.

It took exactly three seconds for the same to happen.

He opened the entrance, revealing a middle aged man who seemed rather smug about something.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Longman. Miss Swan has been awaiting your arrival."

With a nod from the gentleman, Edward showed him the way to the living room and insisted he sit across from her.

"Mr. Longman, it is a pleasure to meet you again. I hope you didn't have much trouble getting the appointment?" The polite question seemed to have no external signs of tension, but Edward could see the suspicious look in her eyes.

He was on high alert.

"Not at all!" he exclaimed. His false enthusiasm was simply irritating to watch. "I must admit your assistant is efficient. Your staff is very resourceful, Miss Swan."

"Thank you, Mr. Longman-" he cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"Oh, please do call me Caius." She nodded with a tight lipped smile.

" _Caius_ ," she grit out, "I believe you wanted to discuss an urgent matter?"

"Oh, yes. We were delighted by your presence in the gala-"

"Caius... I am not interested in pleasantries. I have important matters to attend to and I would be grateful if you could come to the point sooner than later."

The man looked taken aback. He had taken offense to the manner in which the young girl had spoken to him.

"I admire your drive, Isabella," he chuckled forcefully. "But young ladies like you should indulge in a little gossip. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

"Indeed!" she said, boredom seeping through her posture. She had let the file rest on the table and put her full attention to the cup of tea in her hands. She took a quick sip. The kink in her brows lessened a bit.

This pleased Edward immensely.

"Now, where were we?" she pretended to try and remember. "Yes, yes... all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. I believe it does, Caius, and that is precisely why I wish to finish this business and go do what other young women do in their spare time. Will you not indulge me?" She gave him an angelic smile. Further angered, the man huffed and nodded impudently.

"Edward, will you make sure that Mr. Longman receives the Swan treatment? Now, we wouldn't want our guests to think that the Swan family has forgotten how to treat their most revered guests, would we?"

"Certainly not, my lady." He bowed. He waved his hand motioning for another servant to roll in the cart of tea and biscuits. "Sir, this afternoon, we are delighted to present to you a lightly brewed Earl Grey tea with ginger biscuits. If you wish to stay for some time, we have prepared a splendid blueberry pie in honor of your arrival to the mansion."

The guest nodded, feeling overwhelmed by the presence of the other man. Caius' eyes focused on the locks falling over the sides of the butler's face, the style making his eyes even more prominent. The peculiar color of his eyes stood out against his pale skin and brown hair. The butler's lips were slightly upturned as his eyes penetrated his skull.

Recoiling, Caius gripped onto the material of his pants as Edward placed the warm cup of tea and a neatly presented plate of biscuits in front of him.

"Thank you," he mumbled, taking the cup and drinking the tea in large gulps.

 _Such bad manners,_ Edward thought as he scrutinized the middle aged man. He smelled of death. Clearly he had been marked by the reapers. He wondered how his life would come to an end.

 **.**

 **I gathered that I should tell you a bit about their contract. It won't come up in the story for some time, and I don't want you confused.**

 **Bella summoned a demon. They made a contract by which Bella would get his services and protection until she reached her goal. In return, the demon would devour her soul when she fulfilled her wishes.**

 **I hope that clears things out. Leave me a review with any other questions that you have.**

 **Reviews are almost better than having Edward wash your hair. Show me some love?**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	4. Chapter Three

**Hello, there! I hope you have been well. Onto the chapter, then!**

.

 **Chapter Three**

 _-Now-_

"Now, shall we proceed on to discussing why you are here, Mr. Longman?"

"As I was saying earlier," he began, his eyes narrowing. "The gala made a good amount of money needed for the charity work, but we don't have enough. We were hoping..."

"That I would be kind enough to pay you the remaining sum?" She finished for him. "I believe I had already made a huge investment in the project, Caius. I remember signing a deal with you and you assuring me that the plans would go through smoothly. Did you lie?"

"No! I just... The circumstances were unforeseen and we made the choices that we had to. We need the money to get the project going. I know that you understand."

"No, I don't." She said with finality. "I made a business deal with you to make a profit, but this endeavour does not look as profitable right now."

"But the ships-" The agitated man shot up from his seat and tried to get to Isabella.

Edward took a step and placed himself between them.

Having finished her tea, Isabella stood up, too. Without sparing Caius a glance, she walked away.

"I made sure to read all your bank transfers, Caius. Young ladies such as I have a bad habit of snooping, didn't you know?" Her voice floated across the room.

The desperate man growled in frustration and tried to move past the butler.

"Sir, please do take a seat. The pie shall arrive shortly." With that, he placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him down to sit on the couch. "You will enjoy it thoroughly." The warning in his promise was clear.

Mr. Longman's phone went off. He jumped, fear having overtaken his body.

"Excuse me," he squeaked out. Edward moved away from his way and glided towards the kitchen.

He plated the slice of pie and cleaned the cutlery to perfection.

As he carried the tray towards the living room he heard Mr. Longman's voice. To his ears, the words were clear.

" _The bitch says she won't give us the money._ " Amused, he waited patiently for the man to be done with his call before he interrupted.

" _But don't you fucking worry. I'll convince the little twit to spend the money._ " The man listened carefully for a moment before speaking again. " _I'm not above twisting her arm and forcing her to give me what I want!_ " he sneered. " _Pretty, too!_ " he laughed, suddenly. " _I'm not underestimating her, Lyod. I know she is incompetent._ "

Knowing that it was the end of the conversation, Edward knocked on the door with purpose. Longman jumped, his phone slipping from his grasp and clattering onto the floor.

"Extremely sorry, sir. I will help you with that!" he said with a bright smile on his face as he shot forward. The man let out a squeal as he backed away. "The pie is ready. If you should follow me, I would like to serve you and the mistress. I believe you still have much to discuss with her?" He gave the older man a pointed look. It certainly put the fear of being discovered in his heart, that Edward was sure of.

"O-of course," he stuttered and snatched the cell-phone from Edward's hand. He left the room quickly, leaving Edward in a fit of laughter.

 _It seems that the humans are not the only one who will get pie! I can work with rotten, old pie just fine. Pie is never bad._

 **.**

 **I have a fun exercise for you folks. I love a good story (like everyone else), and I especially like it when you guys tell me those stories.**

 **See, I believe that to write a story is to interact with the readers. It is the reader that assigns meaning to a piece of literature (or any form of art), and these infinite perceptions, opinions, and theories are what enriches the plot of the text.**

 **So, tell me these wild theories. Tell me who you think they are, where they are going to end up, how their happily ever after will like, or why Edward and Bella found each other and no one else. I mean, these might not even be pertinent questions, but I would like to know what stories you cooked up in your mind. Will you fulfill my fantasies? I eagerly wait to hear about your side of the story.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	5. Chapter Four

**I'm a bit evil, I'll admit. This is unbeta'd. I make mistakes. A lot.**

 **.**

 **Chapter Four**

 _-Now-_

He snickered as he walked towards his destination.

"Please do share the joke with us Edward," Isabella asked as she gave him a pointed look.

"I just remembered that it is hunting season, and I do love hunting, my lady!" he offered politely. She looked away, focusing on the man in front of her. "Do you enjoy hunting, Mr. Longman?" The man nodded. "I'm a good chase. I would love to give you a demonstration."

Mr. Longman stuttered his apologies and told him that he would consider the offer next time he visits.

"More tea," Isabella ground out.

"Ma'am." He bowed low and brought her a fresh cup of tea.

"I think you are ill-equipped to handle this project. I plan on retrieving my contribution, soon. This is your last warning, Longman." She said suddenly, starting the older man. He looked red in the face as his anger rose.

"You don't understand business. Not this business!" his arms flailed as he ranted agitatedly.

"I know the business. We have been dealing in confectionary and food products for the past one and a half century. I know much more about the market that you ever will, and I was brought up with the values of the Swan family. Your impudence just reinforces my decision to pull out of the project."

She didn't seem fazed by his outburst, or by the words she spoke. Those were not words of pride, but spoken as facts.

"Edward, make sure that our guest enjoys his time on the property."

"Certainly," he replied. He turned to the guest. "Is the dish not to your liking, sir?" he asked, the image of politeness. "You haven't so much as touched it yet!"

He sounded almost offended.

The man, frightened, propelled forward and grabbed the plate with trembling hands. He saw something sinister in the butler, in the way his eyes gleamed as he followed him around. He was scared of the man, and he couldn't understand why.

Surely, the foolish girl would believe him over an inconsequential butler—a mere servant.

As he gobbled the delicious piece of pie, he felt his throat tightening. He coughed, trying to remove the lumb that had formed at his throat. Then he clutched at it.

Pleased, Edward moved forward, offering his sincere worry about the guest's health.

"You seem ashen! Is there anything I can help you with?" The man shook his head, still clutching helplessly at his throat.

It felt as if it was on fire. He was choking, yet he knew that the lump in his throat was not real. It was like someone was holding him by the neck.

"Poison-" he choked out!

"Are you accusing the butler of the Swan family of attempting to murder? Shameful!" Edward declared, a false grimace on his face. The mirth in his eyes gave him away.

"'way!" Longman choked.

"Let me help you up!" Edward smiled, his teeth on display.

 **.**

 **Thank you so much for helping me reach 100 reviews! Let's see how fast we can reach 150, shall we?**

 **Reviews are better than Demonward cooking non-poisonous pies for you! Actually, have your pick at any dish. He can cook anything you ask him to.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	6. Chapter Five

**Unbeta'd chapter. Read at your own risk.**

 **Let's see if we can go up to 17** **0** **reviews, okay?**

 **.**

 **Chapter Five**

 _-Now-_

The scared little man scrambled away, running towards the exit. He felt something kick his legs. He tripped and landed on his face. The pitiful gagging sound that escaped him couldn't be heard past a few meters of the man, and Edward was happy for it.

He didn't want the other staff to walk in on this horrendous scene. He had a reputation to uphold, and he couldn't let such a trivial execution taint the impression people had of him.

He pulled the man by his hair and stared him right in the eye.

"As the butler of the Swan household, it is my duty to look after the needs of the guests and to ensure that the family name is spotless. Your words for the lady of the household are rude and traitorous. We can't have that, can we?" He looked thoughtful. "So, as her most devoted servant, it is my duty to eradicate you!"

In his mind, Caius Longman begged for mercy.

"Mr. Longman, I hope you thoroughly enjoyed the Swan house treatment, down to your very last breath." The man's eyes widened. "Now burn."

Blue flamed engulfed the frail body, leaving nothing but the smell of smoke behind.

Edward extended his hand and seemed to scoop something out of the air.

He put the invisible object into his mouth and bit down. He chewed on with a disgusted look on his face.

"Goodness, that soul tasted dreadful!" he exclaimed. He clapped his hands together, ridding it of any ash that may have remained and then went on to prepare dinner.

.

"I enjoyed listening to him choke on his saliva," Isabella said suddenly as he sliced into a piece of meat on her plate. "He sounded like a little piglet being led to slaughter."

"You have a way with words, madam." He smirked.

He stood beside her, waiting for her order.

"You did well today," she said offhandedly.

"I was just doing my job," he spoke the words so simply that she paused to look at him. "It's like they say... I am simply one hell of a butler."

His signature smirk remained on his face as he watched her savor her food.

She huffed a laugh as she thought over the demon's words.

 _Never a dull day in the Swan household._

 **.**

 **Leave a comment to show some love. Life has been hard on me. I've not been able to reply to reviews. I promise to get back to all of you as soon as I have some time! Updates as usual, unless you make me extremely happy and I post… because.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	7. Chapter Six

**Late update but update nonetheless. I've had little to no sleep in the past week and I am glad that all of you have been so supportive in that time. This is not going to end soon. Make me happy. Let's see if we can get this to 210, shall we?**

 **.**

 **Chapter Six**

 _-Then-_

The first day Isabella entered the University of her choice, she knew that she would never settle for anything else. She was thirteen at the time and had accompanied her mother to a class reunion.

She was taken with the magnificence of the architecture, the grounds, the buzz of people and most importantly the professors. She spoke to those that were on campus and knew her mother. Her mother was well known in the university, having passed summa cum laude and then gone on to open her own branch of the Swan business with her husband. It had been a grand success.

Having been interested in business studies since a tender age, she was fascinated with how charming and knowledgeable the professors seemed. Studies had never been a hardship for her. She didn't spend much time fretting over her grades, she spent it reading books—both fiction and nonfiction. She took great pleasure in keeping track of the stock market and reading about economic trends throughout the world. She had even developed a bad habit of eavesdropping on her parents' business meetings. She learned a lot about professional conduct by simply observing their body language.

She dressed appropriately and spoke with uncanny maturity. She loved to socialize, but children her age never seemed to understand her. To be honest, they were scared of her. They do say that the intelligence in one's eyes is the most fearful thing on the planet.

She knew that she was ready to attend college, leave all pretense of mediocrity behind and rise to her full potential. But something about it scared her father immensely. He told her to always be cautious and to never over-achieve. She never did understand why. She pushed him until he let her drop out of school and be homeschooled.

She traveled to places her parents went, built connections with people she met while her parents went about their business. The adults never really took her seriously, but she learned about their strengths and weaknesses and took careful notes about what interested them most.

When the time came, she filled out only one application form. She was accepted.

The first time she stepped onto the University of her choice as a student, her eyes welled up. Her dream had come true. Her father told her that those professors would not be able to teach her anything new, but she persevered.

In the end, the world did seem to be fascinated with degrees more than intelligence and knowledge. And if that was the case, she could fully exploit her dreams of interacting with brilliant minds that were truly interested in the same things as her and wouldn't look clueless when she unleashed her true self.

It was as she had expected. She flourished among like-minded people. She did learn new things and she grew more in love with business studies. She paid no mind to her father's words. She was not cautious and she tried to achieve more than was deemed normal. She had everyone's attention on her.

And attention is not always a good thing.

 **.**

 **Reviews are almost better than waking up to Demonward's face every morning. (I did say always, didn't I?)**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

 _-Now-_

"There is a problem." He cringed at the sharp glare the butler gave him. He knew not to disturb the man while he was taking care of Miss Swan's business. "The problem..." he began.

"Make haste, Eric. I have urgent matters to take care of," Edward said, exasperated by how useless the other workers seemed to be when it came to doing good on their duties. He huffed as he saw Eric cower at his tone. He wondered why he had employed such a meek boy to take care of the estate.

"Eric," he warned. "Take care of whatever seems to be the problem. I don't have time for this!" he told firmly.

"I was tending to the trees at the edge of the estate and noticed a man lurking around."

"And?" Edward snapped, irritated.

"I waited for him to pass, but it seems as though he has been making rounds, looking for something." The boy fiddled with his fingers as he waited for his next orders.

"Have you finished grooming the branches?" he asked calmly. The boy shook his head. "You should get your work done." He nodded. "Keep an eye out and tell Lauren to come meet me in fifteen minutes. Let me know if you see him doing anything else that seems suspicious to you."

The boy seemed relieved as he nodded vehemently and then rushed out of the room.

Edward went back to preparing Miss Swan's schedule. She seemed to have an off day, and he was happy that he had time to oversee the curious case of the man standing outside the gate. He had himself sensed the man, tried to tune into his thoughts to gauge his intentions, but the man seemed to be out of range, and Edward simply did not have the time to leave his duties and go hunt down a man who was harmless enough at the moment.

He was used to curious bystanders. Miss Swan was truly an enigma; the tragedy of her family had garnered a lot of attention. More so, because of how little she appeared in front of the public. He usually didn't bother with such curious people, but today, he had a bad feeling. It was a good thing that Miss Swan wouldn't be leaving home this evening. He'd rather avoid hovering around her and irritating her.

"Edward?" he heard. He saw the door creaking open and Lauren walk through it. He shuffled some papers around, placing them in their right spots and then gave her his full attention.

"Has Eric informed you of the suspicious man?" he asked, hoping that the boy had saved him some time. She nodded. Edward was pleased that he could speak a little less in the subsequent moments.

"I want you to find out who he is and take a position on the rooftop. If you think he has some malicious intent, shoot him down. I don't want to risk Miss Swan's safety."

"Edward..." she seemed to hesitate. "Do you think it is right to shoot down a man that I _think_ is suspicious?" He looked at her sharply, making her suck in a breath.

 **.**

 **If there is anyone who can help me with anime/graphic novel theory, please do contact me. Trying to write a kickass paper. I have a feeling that I am going to do miserably.**

 **Leave a review if you want Edward handling ya panties. :3 (So inappropriate.)**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	9. Chapter Eight

**Thank you so much for your constant support. It means a lot to me. The Twilight Saga is the intellectual property of SM, I just like to tinker with her characters a bit. The chapter is unbeta'd. So pardon all the mistakes.**

 **Meet you at the end.**

 **.**

 **Chapter Eight**

 _-Now-_

"I trust your judgment, Lauren. That is why you were employed at the mansion." He began. "Your job is not only to tend to the aesthetic beauty of the estate but also to protect Miss Swan at all costs."

"I don't understand why we need to protect her from it, though. All the servants here are highly skilled and here to protect her, but she knows nothing of it! I don't understand!" He quirked a brow at her.

"I would appreciate if you kept your voice low," he told her, amused. "I didn't know that recognition was so important to you. I had simply thought that you would be satisfied to have a warm bed and food in your belly. Had I misunderstood you, my little sniper?"

She froze at the term of endearment, and she knew well that the term was not born out of any affection, but disinterested amusement in her existence.

"Miss Swan put her safety in my hands. I admit that my method is unorthodox, but I believe that not only should I protect her body, but also her mind. Worries about people trying to kill her would sway her from her goals, and what sort of a butler would I be if I couldn't fulfill the one duty I was assigned?"

"Is that why you keep serving her? Organize every piece of her life... from her food to the flower arrangements? Even the exact temperature of her bath water!" she exclaimed, awed. She couldn't understand why Edward did all those other things.

"Why, you ask? The answer is simple; when her mind is at ease and healthy, she is capable of reaching her true potential. She nurtures her superior intellect only when she is surrounded by serenity and keeps her body in impeccable shape. The cleanliness, organization, and beautification are all part of the project." He watched her soak in his words. He saw an inkling of understanding dawn on her.

"Now, go and find out who the man is." She nodded, more excited than ever.

He glanced at the clock as the door was shut. He realized that he had half an hour until teatime. He stood up, making sure that nothing was out of place and then ventured out to find the perfect tea and snack for the day.

As he passed a tall window, he peered out of it and focused on the gate visible acres away. He saw the man, rubbing his neck as he tried his best not to reveal his identity. He was clearly middle-aged, with a pot belly to show his love for beer. He shrugged, knowing that once his identity was confirmed there wouldn't be much he would need to do. Lauren would take care of it herself.

He was reaching for the plate on the highest shelf of the cupboard when he heard it.

He heard the bullet cut through the air and hit its target. A small smile played across his lips as he started to hum a tune. He heard the sound of footsteps from the floor above him and then shuffling on the staircase. He heard the rustling of leaves at the edge of the property and sensed that Eric had worked his magic too.

At the end of the day, Eric's uncanny ability to chop things finely and clean wounds up complimented perfectly with Lauren's hawk eye and unfaltering aim. Edward could trust them to have cleaned up the mess and reinstate Isabella's safety.

He could simply concentrate on pleasing Isabella for now.

 **.**

 **As many of you may know, I run a small business. I make and sell jewelry. I have a huge event (1000+ people at the same place) coming up on Saturday and I need to make huge amounts of stuff for it. I'll be busy... a lot. I might not be able to reply to your reviews and I apologize beforehand. I'll continue with the alternate day updates for now.**

 **If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below. Add me on facebook and maybe pimp out our Demonward?**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	10. Chapter Nine

**I've been missing in action for a while, and I know how I am losing my readers, but I can't help it. There is a huge festival coming up and it means that people want a shitload of jewelry. And they come to me for it. I have to write three papers by the end of next month. I am still researching. So, I am swamped. I haven't slept in a while, and I am exhausted. I need all the love I can get. Really.**

 **Thank you to everyone who wished me the best of luck for that event I went to. It wasn't that good, but I got a good response from my online client base, which made me feel better. If you want to check out my page, leave me a review saying so and I will send you a link via PM.**

 **Chapter Nine**

 _-Now-_

He was heading for Isabella's room when he sensed the maid, Lauren, rushing to him. She was panting and seemed distressed.

"Job well done, Lauren." She tried her best to give him a smile, but there was more on her mind.

"The man was an employee of Riley Biers. I wanted to tell you immediately, but we had to make the body disappear." Edward nodded, expecting the man to be someone the mutt, Riley, had sent to keep an eye on his dearest Isabella.

"What was his name?" he asked, curious to know who they had killed.

"Ronald, I believe. Driver's license said as much." Edward clenched his fists. It had been one of Riley's father's trusted men. He would have to keep an eye out for more of them trying to take him by surprise and harming Miss Swan.

"But Edward, there is more!" she exclaimed, suddenly remembering the information that she had rushed to tell him. "While we were dragging the body, we heard his phone go off. I think they knew that he could be killed. Eric was getting back to pruning the bushes when he saw a couple of men get down from cars."

"Where have the cars been parked?" he calmly asked.

"Further away from the property. A couple of blocks down. What should we do?"

"Be prepared for an ambush. Tell the other employees to stop whatever they are doing and take positions. I don't want anyone crossing the gate. Do you understand?" She nodded frantically, before turning to leave. As she was hurrying away, he stopped her.

"Lauren!" his voice was low but audible to her. Her senses were sharp from her days as a freelance sniper. "Make sure that you keep down the sound. I don't want Miss Swan's nap to be disturbed." Her eyes widened comically as she saw the smile play across his lips.

"Edward..."

"I won't have her dreaming about blood and gore, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" she swore as she stumbled. She needed to be quick. She knew that if anyone got near to Miss Swan—hell, disturbed her sleep, even, Edward would have their head. He could be such a demon when it came to Isabella.

She sighed, feeling the jealousy creep in. If only Edward would look at her. He was always so concerned about doing his job right that he never could see past it. She shook the thought away and grumbled.

Such thoughts could only land her in trouble.

She spotted Billy Black in the kitchen, munching on snacks.

"Mr. Black! You must hurry! We need to shut the gates." The older man, nearly sixty-three, jumped to his feet in alarm. He asked her to calm down and tell her what was wrong. Upon hearing the story, he shook his head in astonishment.

"I wonder how much longer this will go on." He picked up the plate of chips as he went, grumbling about old age and back pain.

Lauren mulled over his words. She always wondered why this Riley Biers was intent on harming Miss Swan. She might be a heartless woman, but she never hurt anyone enough to make them want her dead. She was new, though, having arrived a couple of months after Edward. She wanted to ask Edward what the truth was, but was scared that she would be reprimanded for doing such a thing.

She spread the news throughout the staff, and they all seemed to flee to their spots, to get out their ammunition, to protect their employer.

When she reached the rooftop, she saw Billy Black sitting with his feet splayed in front of him, his back leaning on the wall as he loaded his hunting rifle.

"Hey, Mr. Black?" she began. She didn't look at him as she mustered up the courage to say the words. She set up her equipment and adjusted the eyepiece. "Why does this Biers guy want her dead?" She licked her lips as her finger twitched on the trigger, ready to shoot.

"Why... he doesn't want to kill her." He laughed through his nose. "He simply wants to kidnap her, break her mind and make her his slave." He offered her a reassuring smile when he noticed the look of horror on Lauren's face.

"Don't you worry, child. Edward would cut off Biers' dick before he got his hands on Isabella."

 **.**

 **Thank you so much for reading. It truly means a lot to me. I think I will update again tomorrow.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	11. Chapter Ten

**Hello, there. My irregular updates embarrass me. The site is not letting me reply to reviews, so if you have questions, please PM me? And thank you so much for the support and understanding my condition. Onto the chapter, then.**

 **.**

 **Chapter Ten**

 _-Then-_

Mr. Billy Black had been working for the Swans since he was a child. Very much like his father before him. He knew for a fact that each and every Swan had a keen sense of business and a love for order. The women and men who married into the family were no different. While he was growing up, he had always been considered family, not a mere servant boy. He played with the children of his age, irrespective of their social status. He went to the same school as the others and learned the same things. His primary function was to be Charles Swan's assistant, and he did the job in a splendid fashion, but when Isabella went to University, Billy had decided to retire.

He spent time with his wife and her extended family. Having never grown his family beyond himself and the wife, he got involved in a lot of social work. In those weeks of his retirement, he seemed to forget about the dangerous situations that the Swans were battling. It was easy to forget about organized crime and drugs when you were blissful at your home stuffing your face with the food your beautiful wife cooked specially for you.

He had been horrified when he received the news of what had occurred in the mansion.

The mansion that he had grown up in.

Charles, who was fifty-three at the time, had been slaughtered in the living room of the house. His body had been riddled with bullets as if to send a strong message. Mrs. Swan's car collided with a truck on the same day. She was two miles from her home.

What unsettled him the most was the disappearance of his beloved Miss Swan—the jolly girl who lived to read books thicker than encyclopedias and dress twice her age so that she could fit in.

He followed the news obsessively, waiting for some positive news.

Nothing came.

Not only had he lost his most beloved friend—the little girl, but he had also lost hope for the family that he had spent his life serving.

Months later he received a call from an untraceable number.

The person on the other side told him that Miss Swan had been found and that she needed Billy Black's assistance.

He left the house immediately, his retirement forgotten. He was furious that someone would play such a hideous prank on him. But deep down, he felt a twinge of hope that the mysterious man had not been lying.

When he reached the manor, he saw the desolate state of it. The garden had withered. The front gate remained closed, seeming brittle and vulnerable. As he opened it carefully, he noticed that the front door was open. He rushed, panicked that someone had broken in only to find a young man scrubbing the floors.

He was weirdly dressed, in period clothes and no shoes on his feet, but Billy thought nothing of it. He knew that the clothes were from Mr. Swan's eccentric wardrobe.

"Mr. Black," the man said as he jolted up from his place on the ground. "I am glad that you could come on such short notice." He seemed joyous. Billy could find nothing happy about the situation they were in.

"Who are you?" he asked, gritting his teeth, wondering if he could pounce on the man and win the fight.

"Edward, of course." The man wiped his hand on his pants and then moved forward at an abnormal pace.

Billy stepped back reflexively, a shudder running through him as his body let him know of the danger.

"I am sorry, I am not used to being around people. I am just learning the ropes." He smiled, his teeth bared. It looked nothing like a smile; it seemed as if he was unused to exercising his facial muscles. The only thing animate about him were his eyes, deep purple, with tinges of burgundy in them.

"Edward what?" Billy asked, indignantly.

"Edward… the butler." This time, though, his smile seemed genuine. Billy looked on in awe as the butler led him up the dirty stairs.

He could see the imprint of his feet on the layer of dust that had accumulated on the floor.

"Pardon me, we just arrived. I will get to cleaning shortly." He led her further up the stairs and then towards the room he knew Isabella had previously lived in.

The door swung open and the very inhuman Edward moved out of his path. He rushed forward, moving towards the form lying on the bed. He sobbed as he saw her face, riddled with cuts and purple bruises. She was almost unrecognizable.

"She will be alright," he heard Edward say and he felt his blood boil. "I didn't do that to her." He seemed to have read Billy's mind. "I'm here to help her. And I need you to accomplish that."

"What do you need me to do?" Billy asked.

"We need to save the business and eradicate the scumbags who dared to put their hands on her."

And that was how he met Edward.

Edward the Butler.

 **.**

 **So, there you go. I don't know if this update posed more questions or not, but… yeah. Reviews make my day better, and believe me, I need it.**

 **Also, you need to poke me to update, okay? I have ten more chapters written, if you harass me on Facebook and ff.n until I update, because if that happens, I'll be more motivated to update and find fifteen minutes to sit in front of the laptop and do it. Hopefully, my busy schedule will get better soon.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Thank you for all the love. I hope some things are a bit clear after the last chapter. I still haven't got the time to reply, so I apologize… again. Time to read the chapter!**

 **.**

 **Chapter Eleven**

 _-Now-_

Edward rapped on the door thrice with musical precision. No answer came, as expected. He still did it out of courtesy. He pushed the door open, gently, taking care that it made no sound. He fully expected to see her lying on her bed, sheets tangled around her body.

But that was not the case.

He felt no panic as he placed the tray on the bedside table. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the scent of her soul. He found it easily and smiled as he realized that she was coming back to the room. He poured the tea and then stirred the perfect amount of sugar into the cup.

When the door creaked open, he raised the teacup in his hand and transferred it to the table near the window overlooking the garden. He placed the newspaper on the table and then went to close the curtains, worrying that she would see the gun totting men in her garden.

He heard her chuckle softly and turned to her with a questioning look.

"Edward, you must be losing your touch," she teased lightheartedly, something that didn't happen often. He was, of course, taken aback by the expression, but did not show it.

"I don't think I understand what you mean, ma'am," he said simply.

"First you miss my presence and now you take me for a fool?" She mumbled as she dipped her head to take a dainty sip of the tea. "Excellent tea, Edward. Glad you didn't slack in that."

Despite being cocky, Edward knew of his shortcomings. It was his fault for missing the telltale signs of her absence.

"Do you want me to open the curtains, then?" he asked.

"Yes, please. I quite like the sun," she whispered, giving him a pointed look.

 _How can I forget?_

He didn't voice his thought.

As he opened the curtain, he heard her sigh.

"How many of them are outside?" she asked. Her voice did not shake. Neither did he expect it to. She had grown stronger with every threat made on her life.

"About seven, excluding a driver who seems to have stayed back in the car," he told her absentmindedly.

"Riley sent them?" He only nodded to give her the answer. "I want you to call him up and set a meeting with him." He didn't protest, he listened to her patiently. "I want you to make an appointment a month from now. I wish to speak to him. I think it is time I figured out what _he_ wants from me."

She went back to perusing the paper.

"Might I advise you against it, ma'am?" he began. She waved her hand, expecting to have him provide an ulterior plan of action. "I believe that his motives are quite clear. He wants you as a consort." She didn't seem unsettled by the statement. "He has a weird way of showing it, but he thinks that by threatening your life and kidnapping you he is going to make you indebted to him."

"Humans are such fools," she scoffed.

"And you are human, too." He pointed out. She smirked as she asked him to continue. "Meeting him in a sterile atmosphere might prove to be harmful. If he is on our home territory, it is easier for me to keep track of him and curb his plans. There is not much he can do once he steps into your domain. Then you can command me to finish him as I press his face into your shoes and I will be able to do it without people watching me or putting a taint on your family name."

"So, what do you propose?"

"I have a splendid little lunch menu prepared in my head that I have been dying to make. It would suit perfectly with a guest of his stature. The purpose of the lunch would be to show him of his place and how insignificant his power is when compared to yours, my mistress."

He knelt on his knees in front of her. He placed his hands on her knees and caressed them.

"He cannot satisfy you, Isabella." His words were cold… almost detached.

She threw her head back and laughed.

"Oh, Edward," she giggled once more. "To think that you could speak like a possessive lover. Truly, a little more passion in your words would have gotten a much favorable response." She shook her head.

She threaded her fingers through his hair.

"Stand up."

He did so without question.

"You have five minutes to go outside and take care of those men and come back here. I don't want them walking on the flower bed." He bowed his head in acknowledgment. "Help yourself to their souls. Consider it a reward for the passionate words you recited."

 **.**

 **I'm going out of town on a 'vacation.' I will be working my ass off when I am there and will probably not enjoy it. I have to write 4 papers and I have little to no time. Wish me luck! If I have access to wifi on my laptop, I will try and update.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	13. Chapter Twelve

**This won't do. This won't do, at all.**

 **Chapter Twelve**

 _-Now-_

Edward made his way to the rooftop to check on Lauren and Billy. They seemed to be having a nice chat.

"Are the two of you getting any work done?" he asked them harshly. They startled at his voice and fell silent altogether. "You haven't answered me yet," he snarled as he sauntered towards them.

Where they kept hidden, he stood at the edge without any sense of self-preservation. He looked around the property to check the location of the men.

He could see that there were still two men left, hiding behind the bulkier trees.

He clucked his tongue when he saw a body on the side of the garden, the upper part of the body crushing the rose bushes.

"Tell Eric to remove that piece of scum from the rose bushes!" he barked. "I planned on making a centerpiece decoration out of them," he groaned as he shook his head.

"Yes," he heard Lauren murmur.

"Go back to the kitchen and leave the rest to me. I'll find them out." They nodded and without further question left Edward to his own devices.

He shoved his hand into his pocket and fetched out his handy watch. Two minutes to go, he made note begrudgingly. He had to make haste.

He leaped off the building to save time. He noticed her stare at him as he passed her window. He could see the small smile on her lips as she witnessed him gracefully land on his feet. Without further ado, he launched forward and neared his first unsuspecting victim of the day. The man was trying to get rid of his jacket as Edward reached him and stabbed him once with the end of a dessert fork.

 _Such a waste,_ he thought as he pulled it out of his throat.

He wiped it clean with a white handkerchief as he sped towards the last man. He was further down the area, and anything but well hidden. He, unlike his other friend, noticed Edward coming at him, and pointed his gun straight at the butler.

Scoffing, Edward changed his route and finished off the man within the blink of an eye.

Isabella watched the performance with keen eyes. She smirked as she kept an eye on the watch. He had thirty to take their souls and then return to her side.

She started plotting all the ways in which she could punish him for not following her orders to a T. As she cooked up plans she heard the tinkering of china.

She swiveled on the spot, grunting as she saw him picking up the dish and paper from the tea table.

"You sure enjoy plotting ways to torture me, young mistress." He tried to act all serious, but the amusement on his face gave away his delight.

"And you always seem to avoid giving me the pleasure."

"I don't understand why you seek the thrill to challenge me, though."

 **.**

 **4 assignments? Submitted. Need to start studying for semester finals, but I wanted to update before that. More to come in a couple of days. Pester me. It keeps me on my toes.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Exams are over. Thank god. Now I can concentrate on other things. I plan to write 20 chapters tonight. I love to set unrealistic goals for myself so that I am disappointed at the end. Sue me.**

 **.**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

 _-Now-_

"The reason is simple. I want to invoke feelings in your day to day work." She gave him a pointed look. "As a demon, you are not built to feel any connection to anybody, but I find it hard to trust you completely when you have no sense of attachment to it."

"Other than the binding contract!" he exclaimed. "It is the highest form of bond in my world." He composed himself. She smiled, happy that she could break his composure for a moment. It was happening more and more over time and she was enjoying it immensely.

"You forget that we are not from the same world. I am human, at the end of the day, and human emotions are all I understand." She crossed the distance between them. "I can see that you want to tell me that you feel loyalty towards me."

"You see correctly," he said.

"But I beg to differ." There was no change in his features. "It is no sense of loyalty. You want my soul." He was starting to protest when she raised her hand to stop him. "I let you have other souls because I don't want your powers to deteriorate over time. You need sustenance, but I understand in economic words that there give you no satisfaction. They have no more utility than to satiate your immediate hunger, they in no way produce any pleasure for your body or your mind."

She paused thinking it over.

"You made the contract knowing well that when my revenge was complete, my soul would have been corrupted beyond repair, and that is your condition for serving me. You are seasoning your food, are you not?"

He shook his head.

"You are denying my logic? Would you stay with me if I abandoned my revenge and became a social worker?" She saw the twitch in his jaw. "As I thought. You live for the thrill, Edward. You would never do well with a predictable master. You want to be entertained. You want to judge humanity and witness their depravity and I am your vessel for it. I understand your condition completely. I enjoy the same, but you are bound to me by the contract and I am part of the same species you so enjoy watching. I expect the same things as any one of them."

"It must be difficult for you to understand, but fucking me senseless means nothing when I feel no reaction from your side."

 _Hit a sore spot, did I?_

"I was just giving an example. No doubt, the orgasms are brilliant, but like _you_ are not satisfied without lesser souls, I am not satisfied when I see no emotion on your face."

He growled internally at the idea of failing to pleasure her. He was an excellent lover, thousands had told him over the centuries.

"Emotions are not part of our system, I cannot give you that. Emotions weaken demons exponentially, legend has it and I do not wish to test the theory." The words spoken through clenched jaws made her angry.

"Don't flatter yourself by thinking that I want your affection, demon. I want you to pretend like you want me there ordering you around. A false sense of superiority; that is all I want." He stared at her.

"Very well, then." He tilted his head to a side. "Where do you want me?" Simple.

 _He always has the solution, doesn't he?_

"Not now." She dismissed him. "Invite Riley Biers as discussed. I have some business to attend to tonight."

He waited for her to say something more. When she didn't he asked her.

"When do you want me to be ready to take you?" She shook her head.

"You won't be coming with me. It is a personal matter and I don't need your help with it."

"Ma'am?" he stuttered, aghast.

"Yes, you will stay here and take care of the thousands of things that you need to do and not wait up for me."

"You don't need me?" She ignored the question. If she didn't know better, she would think that he was hurt.

"I want you to assemble all the staff tomorrow at eight. I have to go over some things with all of you." With that, she shooed him out of the room.

 **.**

 **Raise your hand up if you want daily updates. I ask you to pester me and then you don't? How will I stay motivated? Go and leave me a comment and pimp my story out.**

 **I love you.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Well, I did say I would update daily if you wanted me to. This is me keeping my promise.**

 **.**

 **Chapter Fourteen**

 _-Now-_

She had placed the clothes she wanted to wear with particular care. They were not like her usual clothes, formal and on point. Instead, she wore a nice, comfortable blouse that was excellent for a casual but dressy occasion. Even the pencil skirt she decided on was unlike her usual style. When Edward looked at the clothes, he could taste the bitterness at the back of his throat. He glared at them hatefully as he entered her room to ask if she wanted something before she left.

He heard her in the bathroom and knocked on the door.

"Come in." He heard her say. He opened the door to see that she was standing over the bathtub, moisturizing her legs.

What he could not figure out is why she had not asked him to help her, yet. It was a disconcerting feeling.

"Are you in need of anything?" She looked up from her legs, her hands massaging each other to blend the cream in.

"No." But then she paused. "Actually, would you mind calling on Lauren?"

"Certainly, ma'am," he told her. The darkness in his eyes told her that he was displeased by how she was constantly denying his services.

He left swiftly. He found Lauren soon enough and barked at her to attend to the lady of the manor. The staff members were surprised, to say the least. Most of them almost never interacted with her. She only ever spoke to Edward or Billy.

She was so intimidating that they didn't think that they would be comfortable talking to her, in the first place.

Lauren left the room, immediately, cringing as she felt the anger Edward felt towards her.

Unlike Edward, she flung the door open without asking for permission first. To her good fortune, Isabella was still inside the bathroom.

Lauren was startled when she saw the mistress appearing from the bathroom. She gasped when she took in the nudity of the woman.

Isabella came to a stop when she heard the gasp. Her eyes became colder as she took in the horrified expression of the servant.

"Oh, so you invited yourself in, I see," she commented caustically.

Lauren made a groan-like noise, which Isabella mistook for disgust. The girl was transfixed by the jagged, long, and truly horrendous scars that started on her belly and extended to her thighs.

"If you would be kind enough to stop staring at me, I would tell you what to do with yourself." Her voice lowered, portraying the true extent of her menace. The demon butler could not stand against the fear that she invoked in the heart of the employees.

Lauren's eyes snapped up to her face and her cheeks flushed in mortification. Her stomach tightened in anticipation. She was scared to find out what it was that Edward could not accomplish and she could.

"I am hoping you know how to apply makeup?" Almost frightened, she nodded. "Good. Go to my cupboard and get out the gray embroidered corset." She did as she was asked.

Unsure of what she was supposed to do, she took the piece out and went to hand it over.

 **.**

 **Quick note: I didn't even write one chapter out of the twenty I thought I would write last night. Working on a huge project that I hope all of you will enjoy! Now go leave me a truck full of comments and pimp out my story.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

 _-Now-_

Isabella waited patiently for the maid to get to her job and help her put it on. After what seemed like minutes of silently waiting for the damned servant to reach her, she swiveled around with the intent of scolding the woman. She was surprised to see the confused employee, holding the corset away from her body like she didn't quite know what to do with it.

"Are you an idiot?"

"Ma'am?"

"Come here and help me put it on," She was exasperated by the incompetence of the staff. She had no hand in the appointment of these people and she was fully questioning Edward's judgment about the usefulness of the staff that he had appointed.

She flinched when Lauren tugged on the strings too hard. She remained silent despite it, cursed whoever she could in her mind. She kept her mind off Edward. The man's ability to read her intent unsettled her.

She preferred to keep him at arm's length, where it would be more difficult for him to read her and gauge her next move.

But it seemed to have not worked. She heard the rap on the door and sighed.

"Come in," she called out, knowing that the maid was going to get thrown out of the room.

With an expression of distaste, he entered the room and sternly pointed at her to leave. He stood in front of her, looking her over carefully and then turning to the clothes neatly stacked on her bed. He shook his head and sauntered to the cupboard, opened it, and pulled out something he thought was more suitable.

Respecting her choice to wear a corset, he chose a peach colored one with straps on it.

He placed it on the bed beside her clothes and went to retrieve her. He took her by the elbow and led her to the bed. Once he sat her down, he began undoing the poorly tied knot of the corset she was already wearing. He wanted to cluck his tongue at the wrinkles it put on the immaculate lace ties but thought otherwise.

As he pulled the article of clothing on, he felt her eyes on him.

He pursed his lips as he felt her anger towards him. He couldn't understand why she was so furious.

He gently slid the peach colored camisole over her head and then adjusted it over her breasts and stomach. When it was time to buckle in the straps, he caressed the spots he knew the scars were as if worshiping them.

She felt less angry instantly, her disgust towards the maid disappearing slowly.

She didn't feel so ugly.

He made her feel no pain or discomfort as he finished the task of dressing her.

Luxury had become a daily affair. She couldn't remember having to do much since she made the contract with Edward. He always seemed so pleased to be of need to her, to serve her.

She was angry because she, too, did not understand why he had trained himself to cater to her every whim.

"Would you like me to escort you tonight?" he asked again, hoping that she had realized that no one else could look after like her and would let him join her.

"No." She looked at her reflection one last time.

She paused in front of the door. "I will expect you to act appropriately."

She knew that he would never go against her wishes.

 **.**

 **Just leave me some love. I really need it.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**All explanations after the chapter. Meet you on the other end.**

 **.**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

 _-Now-_

She had booked the restaurant without Edward's knowledge. It was almost impossible to keep things from him, but with time she had learned to make use of Edward's habits to her benefits. While he was making the perfect dessert to suit her delicate tastes, she would take advantage of his preoccupation and make arrangement for the much-needed meeting.

It was not that she did it to spite Edward or show him that she did not need him to function; it was more about how she appeared in this informal setting.

As she turned her car keys over to the valet, she glanced around to take in her surroundings. Sensing no threat, she strode into the restaurant with purpose. She spared the doorman a smile, whose face lit up at the acknowledgment.

She pitied the people who could not appreciate good service when they saw it. She was most grateful for every person who did their part and made her life a little easier. Often people at high-end places ignored those that they believed to be inferior to them.

She was led to her table. She wondered how long she would have to wait for her guest to arrive. Her guest—one of her favorite professors, was notorious for his lateness. His lectures were as flamboyant as his fashionably late entries to lectures.

She would have been furious if anyone else had made her wait.

As expected, he entered about fifteen minutes late, wearing the most outlandish combination of clothes. She didn't exactly know what color his pants were, or why he was wearing a plaid shirt over a formal one. She'd rather not think about it.

Despite his eccentricities, he was a genius in his field. The material for his lectures came from personal experience and years of market research. His knowledge of market trends and relevant advertisement methods was outstanding.

"Mr. Rossetti!" she exclaimed, a happy smile spreading across her face. She stood up to greet him.

"Miss Swan, I am terribly sorry for being late," he said, but she could see that there was no regret in his facial expression. It held excited amusement… or was it mischief?

"I don't mind at all." She waved it off.

"Glad to see that you are over your emo phase." She quirked a brow in question. "Why, yes. Sometime around your third year of college, you vanished and then came back looking like a zombie. I remember missing the jolly little girl." He sighed.

She kept her face straight, trying not to remember the time he was thinking about. It was surprisingly easier when someone else mentioned it and it was not her own mind that conjured the painful memories.

"Is that so?" She gave him a smile.

"And that grim butler of yours!" he laughed boisterously. "Handsome little devil, that one, but he was so prim and proper… I shudder to think." He paused, looking around once. "Where is he, by the way?"

"At home," she stated.

"You don't have him follow you around everywhere, anymore?" he teased. Her insides tightened in anticipation. This was what she feared.

Even if it was a most trusted professor, she would always be judged on who she had with her. With Edward, everyone just assumed that she was fragile and he would always be taking care of her… that she had no control over her situation. She had wanted to avoid it at all costs.

"I admit, I quite enjoy teasing the man. But I would rather handle my business myself." She hoped the sternness in her voice would dissuade him.

"Shall we order?" he asked, clapping his hand in excitement.

 **.**

 **Hey, guys… I know… I know… the daily update thing went down the drain. I have a reason, and I need your help in this. Remember that secret project I was telling you about? Well, a friend of mine just started her own YouTube channel and I have been helping her with it. For now, she is posting DIY gift tutorials for Christmas and she plans on posting fan fiction related content (leave a comment if you want to know about that) on the channel. Because I am helping her out with it, I am really hoping that you would check out her video. She just has 2 videos, and she posts snarky comments in the CCs. So… You won't be bored…**

www. youtube watch?v =WZRHQpP76DM

 **Remove the spaces between or check out my bio for the info. (WE REALLY WORKED HARD, OKAY? *cries*)**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Yes, I know, I am a lousy updater. The next ten chapters will be a detailed background on what happened, how Edward and Bella met and what their contract is. Best of luck for the back to back updates. For now, more of our characters.**

 **.**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

 _-Now-_

Once they had ordered, the talk of business began.

She had set up the meeting with Mr. Rossetti to discuss a business proposal with him.

For the past year, she had been working on a project which would no doubt be profitable for the company. But she wanted Mr. Rossetti to be her partner in the endeavor. She knew that he would have to be convinced, and she was up for it.

Mr. Rossetti had made a fortune brewing alcohol and that was the hands on knowledge she needed to make the plan a success.

It had been Edward's fascination with the need to put the perfect spirit in the food or beverages he prepared that sparked the idea. He was always fussing about the taste or the exact scent that he wanted, but nothing could be done. Yes, he could probably brew the finest spirits known to man if he so wished, but she would rather have a group of highly skilled humans do it than her very perfect demon butler.

Who better to guide her than the man who started a small business with two workers and ended up expanding it to a world renowned brand.

She noticed that the older man kept looking over her shoulder with a look of mild curiosity. Not wanting to be rude, she munched on her food and waited patiently for their meal to end.

"Miss Swan!" the older man broke the silence. "I think you have lied to me," he told her seriously.

"I am sorry?" She was appalled at the accusation.

"I am disappointed, Miss Swan," he said. Her confusion was evident. Had it not been for the little smirk that graced his lips for a fraction of a second, she wouldn't have understood that he was joking.

"What do you speak of, professor?" she sighed in relief.

"That butler of yours is dedicated." His laugh made every person within two-meter radius turn to look in their direction. None of the two were ashamed.

"So it was him standing at the back of the restaurant, keeping watch, huh?" she chuckled, but anger boiled in her veins.

"He looks frightening. Can it be that he did not know your whereabouts?" He joked lightheartedly.

"Professor, he is not my keeper," she whispered, conspiratorially. "Ah, I should not have said that. He has the license to murder me, now!" She winked at the older man, her acting skills impeccable.

These skills had been acquired through rigorous training, courtesy of her not-so-favorite butler and what seemed like thousands of hours watching movies and critically analyzing methods of acting. The butler had sucked the fun out of watching the television.

She couldn't even stomach watching the news. She had him tell her it in fine details, instead.

"Isabella, your morbid fascination with twisting literature for your jokes has never failed to surprise me!" he snickered. "Your butler… _murder_ you!" he feigned horror. "He would saw off his head with a dull knife before he could even consider it."

The man behaved like a gossiping old lady sometimes. She would have enjoyed it had she not been furious.

"I believe his sole purpose in life is to kill me," she told him mischievously.

The older man patted her hand, gently.

"Jokes aside, Isabella. I am glad we spoke today. I love your ideas and look forward to helping you." A warm smile graced his face. "I am also glad to see that you are almost your old self."

She wanted to laugh, albeit bitterly.

She was farthest from the person he was talking of.

"I will call you," she said boldly as she took the bill. He shook his head at her little performance. "Don't argue," she scolded. "Let the lady pay the bill for once, professor."

From where he stood, Edward could see how proud the man was of Isabella.

He didn't like it one bit.

She came to meet this man, purposely keeping him in the dark. If that was not a bad sign, he didn't know what was.

 **.**

 **Welcome to the shit show. This is just the beginning. I know I have not gotten back to any of you, so I will clarify everything here. Isabella is an excellent judge of character: the professor is a good man, and I am thinking that Edward is furious and somewhat confused that he is not being able to cater to her every need.**

 **Moving on, my friend has a YouTube channel and she makes DIY stuff… yeah… so… check her out.**

 **www. / watch?v= otnc4D2rd3k**

 **Remove the spaces in between, okay?**

 **Last but not the least, the 'Beyond the Bedroom' Contest is on now, and yes… it is all about lemons—everything apart from the basic stuff. So go check it out and write us an entry if you want. Loads of time left.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Here. I hope you enjoy.**

 **Chapter Eighteen**

 _-Then-_

Isabella was anxious to get home. She had turned in her assignment early in hopes that she would be able to fly out early and surprise her father on his birthday. Of course, she would be a day early because that way she would be able to spend the entirety of his birthday by his side.

She checked on the small duffle bag she had packed for the trip every now and then. On the bag, she had placed a neatly wrapped package. She had made sure that her mother would not be home when she would hand over her present. It was obviously the first of many.

Inside the package was a box of chocolate made by Swan Enterprises. It would seem ludicrous to give the owner of the company a box of the product, but to Isabella, it made perfect sense. Her father's high blood sugar and her mother's strict control over his diet had left him devastated. He loved sweets but he could have none.

So on his birthday, Isabella decided that she would give her father what he loved most.

She fetched out her purse when she saw her house. She paid the cabby in haste and then ran into the property.

The lack of guards around the mansion did not make warning bells go off in her head. She was too happy to notice.

She did notice the front door wide open. It was not like the servants to leave the door open just like that.

She shrugged it off and entered her home, anyway.

"Happy birthday to you-" she began to sing, her voice gradually became louder.

 _Bang._

She choked on her words. Her feet remained frozen for a moment, her eyes wide in panic. She lurched forward, unable to control her body, her arms flailing as she tried to search for the source of the sound.

 _Did someone fall?_

 _Are they hurt?_

All innocent, naïve thoughts.

She entered the living room, fraught with worry. Her mouth dried at the sight in front of her.

At the center of the room at the very same glass table that she had played chess with her father was his body. The table was tipped over, his body covered it. One of his hands tried to clutch onto something.

In a desperate attempt, she tried to reach him.

"Shit," she heard someone say. Her mind could not process the threat. She screamed as she heard the whizzing of air, her body so close to her father's that she could almost reach him.

 _Just a little bit more._

She heard more profanities being spewed. Her eyes searched wildly as she tried to organize her thoughts.

"Didn't know the bitch would be home!" the man swore.

The first thing she noticed about him was how tall he was. Towering over their slumped bodies, she could imagine him pounding his fist against her ribcage and making her heart stop. She couldn't see his eyes, but she could see the peppered gray hair and broad shoulders of the man. She didn't remember his face; it was a blur… a shadow that sometimes made her wonder if she had made up that memory.

"Please…" she found herself pleading.

The man hissed as he crouched down beside her and inspected her arm. She followed his action. The white of her blouse was quickly turning scarlet. The realization that it was her own blood seemed to magnify her senses.

She experienced everything in slow motion.

Him grabbing onto her injured arm.

Him pointing the gun at her father.

Him pulling the trigger numerous times.

Him letting go of her arm to rise to his feet.

Him taking out another gun and emptying it at her father's skull.

Him kicking her father's feet as she stared at the holes in his body.

Him dragging her out by her hair.

Him throwing her into the back of his truck.

Him hitting her in the head so hard that all she saw was black.

 **I hope you like this story. I haven't been feeling good about myself recently... okay... it's been long coming and I don't feel good enough. I love this story, but I am struggling to write it because I feel like I am not doing justice. I know it is frustrating when I promise and don't post, it frustrates me, too. So, I am doing something drastic. I am saving everything in my docs tonight and every day around the same time, I will come back and post. I will not look at what I am posting. I can't. I need to feel like I can do this, and I can't think of anything else right now.**

 **On a lighter note, I hope you are following the Beyond the Bedroom Contest. They have some raunchy lemonade there... and its not... conventional. Well, go and see. And my friend still makes those videos, so be sure to check that out. Poor soul has no viewers.**

 **Until next time (tomorrow),**

 **Sand.**


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen**

 _-Then-_

When she opened her eyes, she found no difference between her painful slumber and waking reality. In the pitch black, the only thing she could hear was the sound of trickling water and that of her frantic breathing. Uncoordinated and paralyzed she tried to make sense of the situation.

 _Think,_ she told herself.

 _What is the last thing you remember?_

She tried really hard to push back the darkness and try to focus, but it seemed to surround her.

Her father, she remembered.

 _His body lay motionless on the floor. Over the table. The glass… Was it broken? Yes… yes…_

 _Think!_

 _Grey hair. Shoulders… gun… the sound… the blood…_

The floodgate collapsed; it all came back to her, the memories contorting in her mind, making demons of humans and zombies of corpses. She gagged as she tried to squeal. She writhed to get out.

Her chest felt so heavy and her legs… _I can't feel my legs._

A new sound encroached on the silence. It took her a while to notice.

She perked her ears to take note of its quality.

At first, she thought it was a scraping noise, like a cat scratching against a metal door, but on further inspection, it sounded like one metal object was being dragged across another.

She thought of all the places the kidnapper could have taken her. Obviously, the noise was not loud enough for it to be produced by machinery, so it was not an industrial area. From the lack of other sounds, it wasn't near any roads; there were no noises of people or of cars, not even the vibration of the wheels against the asphalt.

By a simple process of elimination, she deduced that it was a secluded place and she was probably in a bunker or a basement.

The next rational thing to do would be to formulate an escape plan, but in the darkness, her panic was too high to let her think of it. She was sure of one thing—no one would find her here.

What disturbed her further was the sudden ceasing of the noise.

She waited for any other noise. The anticipation was too hard on her, she stopped breathing as she tried to concentrate on everything around her. She hoped that her eyes would somehow get used to the darkness, but she was so unused to fear and hardship that she didn't know how to overcome the obstacle or see past it.

How was she going to get past this? Was she even going to escape?

Of course, it was the darker, hopelessly sinister thoughts that lingered.

It was then she heard it—the sound of dragging feet. It was almost like the person was leisurely walking towards her.

She was blinded by the sudden light in the room, but her parched eyes stayed wide awake, trying to take in every opportunity at her returned sight. Her surroundings were nothing fancy; dank would be a better word to describe it. The graying walls had patches of bulges caused due to water seeping into the frame of the building and the paint was peeling off from it. Despite the unsavory sight, she was glad that there was no blood sprayed across the walls… any ominous sign that she would be brutally murdered.

It made her hope that someone had kidnapped her in hopes of getting ransom money from her mother.

Her hopes when she saw someone block out the light. She witnessed the glare reflected from some sort of metal and she locked in on it. It looked like a butcher's knife. She screamed bloody murder, but only heard the clucking of tongue in return.

"Woke up early, I see," the gruff voice commented. She gulped. She whimpered as she saw the man lean in towards her face. "Goodnight, little girl," he taunted before he raised the knife above his head threateningly.

Her body collapsed, the air in her lungs leaving in an instant. She grew limp. She didn't hear the chuckle of the man as he walked away from her, muttering about how easy the girl was to scare.

That had not been the first time he had scared her into fainting. She would just not remember the other times; the demon lurking in the shadows had made sure of that.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty**

 _-Then-_

She had woken up exactly fourteen times while she was locked up in the dark room. For the man who was in the room, watching over her, the days passed slowly. He watched her lie unconscious all day long.

He was a surgeon, one that had legally practiced before his license was cancelled due to malpractice. In all fairness, now, he was nothing more than a glorified butcher. He worked in a mob led by Old Man Biers who was infamous for sneaking in large amounts of recreational drugs from other countries into the United States of America. Recently, he had also ventured into human trafficking and supplying organs in the black market, this is where the Butcher came into play.

Butcher, the demon had named him lovingly. He would have so much fun with the man. He would be the first to die.

Of course, that was if he could nudge Isabella into a state of hopelessness and vengeance where she could no longer see straight and accept his help freely.

His was the waiting game. He was fairly sure what it was that would happen. They could try to cut her open without anesthesia and the agony would make her snap.

To make more sense of the situation, one must go back to the moment he found her. She was in the cab, content with her life and wondering how her father would react to the news. He had been playing around the neighborhood looking for humans he could feast on when he scented the pure, exotic taste of her soul. It made a shiver run down his proverbial spine.

Such a delicate and earthy scent, it was.

He sucked in a deep breath and found himself following her.

He had to know how her life would turn out. He had to have her soul. There was no other option for him.

When he sensed the stench of death permeating the house she was headed towards, he felt an unnerving glee. Would this be his window? His chance to seek and trap her?

As he saw her drop to the floor, lifeless, he was sure that it was some sort of miracle. Was he truly being given the opportunity to toy with this precious little thing?

Why, yes, he was.

And he was delighted.

He seated himself beside the dirty cot she was tied in. He sat, crossed legged on the floor almost disgusted by the filth he was touching. The only thing that made the experience sweeter was how tantalizing her soul smelled when she was confused and terrified.

As a demon, only the finest souls could quench his hunger. Souls as pure as hers had to be tested. Would her soul become impure once she associated herself with the demon? He would have to find out. If she could manufacture a formidable creature from what she had been without being tainted, he would be most pleased. He had high hopes for her.

 **.**

 **Seven more chapters will be posted tomorrow.**

 **Whoever you are, wherever you are from... thank you for reading. I'll be graduating in a couple of months and I am... busy (?). I am a lot of things at the moment. I considered giving up the fandom and ff writing altogether, but I think I owe you guys this story and a couple of more I have been working on for years. Rest assured, at least this one will be completed. I won't start another one unless I am done with this.**

 **I am in need of your well wishes.**

 **Sand.**


	22. Chapter Twenty One

**I am back... after a long hiatus. I am writing 4 stories together at this moment. Sorry for the wait.**

 **Chapter Twenty One**

 _-Then-_

She had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth: loving parents, a good fortune, excellent education, and a healthy dose of self-confidence. She had been a jolly child who wanted to achieve great heights, and this was what made her soul the way it was. She was an overachiever, and as they say 'lightening strikes the tallest tree.'

He was the lightning, if he would illuminate her life or strike her dead was yet to be seen.

Her parents had been the same way, and he could see why all these people were adamant on getting rid of them.

Charles Swan and Renee Swan had amassed an empire—one that was already big. The one that garnered most interest was their line of chocolates. They caught the eye of the mob. Old man Biers had been looking for new ways to import goods. He had begotten the idea that by trafficking the drugs inside the chocolates, he would be able to bypass the ever powerful police force.

When Biers had approached Charles with the idea, he had refused instantaneously. Being a man of principle, he let the mobster know that he would not associate himself with a man who paid the bills by ruining others' lives.

Of course, the mobster was furious.

After a couple of more meetings, the threats started pouring in. It took Charlie years to tip off the FBI. He had feared for his child's life and had tried his hardest to keep her safe, but when she left for University, he was terrified. She thought she knew all about the business, but he had made sure that she would never find out about how risky it was to be in the business.

When the mobster threatened to kidnap Isabella and dumb her decapitated body in the Hudson, Charles decided that he had had enough. He needed to protect his daughter and there was only one way he could do that.

Tipping the FBI off, aggravating the mob further. The next thing he knew, his phone was smashed against the floor and there was a gun pointed at his face.

He had never thought that he would die so soon, but he was glad that at least his daughter would be safe. There would be people who would take care of her.

He did not know that the people whom he trusted to take care of his daughter were dead long before he even realized that there was an intruder in his house. The servants had all been dragged to the kitchen, all fifteen of them. And his loving wife was dead and his poor Isabella was doomed to a life of endless torture and pain.

.

 **To all those that are curious about my stories, head over and PM me. I am free for a couple of months, so I will be writing a lot. I hope you will like all my stories. To be honest, I don't think I will come back after these few months. So... these are the only stories you will get out of me.**

 **Leave me some love.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	23. Chapter Twenty Two

**Thank you for your kind words. Presenting: the new chapter.**

 **.**

 **Chapter Twenty Two**

 _-Then-_

The next time she woke up, she saw that the Butcher was not the only person with her in the room. Two men had joined him in her confinement cell. At first Isabella couldn't concentrate on their voices—couldn't comprehend what they were saying, but soon it all became crystal clear.

The man, the younger one seemed angry.

"You've tied her up and treated her like cattle!" he said, enraged.

She tilted her face to a side to get a clearer view of his profile. To her surprise, the room was lit. Not one corner her eyes could see was devoid of light. She could see his face as clear as day, and there was no doubt that he looked familiar.

"Sir, Mr. Biers ordered me to keep her in confinement until he can come down and question her about the business dealings."

"Don't you dare lie to me!" the younger man said.

Suddenly, everything clicked into place. She had seen him in the news. His family was infamous in their part of the country; they were the largest crime family. Everyone knew them, and here they were, keeping her captive, probably plotting her demise.

Riley Biers. Yes, that is his name.

"Sir, Mr. Biers specifically told me to not allow you to take her away. She was involved with the company and knows everything about it. She is an invaluable resource."

There was a long pause in the conversation.

"Fine," Riley conceded. "If dad wants information, he will get it, but if there is one useless scratch on her, I swear on my life, I will rip your hands, chop it into pieces and shove it up your ass."

"I understand, sir." The older man said. Isabella heard the lie clear in his voice. She didn't think that Riley Biers could see beyond how much power he thought he had over the others in the room.

She had seen the sharp objects in the room that she knew would be cutting her open some day or the other. She wasn't stupid enough to believe differently; on the contrary, she used this knowledge to prepare herself for the pain.

She would die—she had come to terms with it, and it would be slow and gruesome, but she promised herself that she would die with dignity. She might not have a stitch of clothing on her body, but she would not let her tormenters the pleasure of seeing her scream and beg for mercy.

She felt the air shift, and when she focused back on the real world, she saw that they were looking at her.

Her state of consciousness seemed to delight the men in the room.

"My Belle! I've been waiting for you to wake up!" the cheerful young man didn't terrify her. She wished she was in a position to ignore him. "Don't worry about this small complication. Just answer whatever questions they have and we can get you out of here and in a white dress in no time."

"What?" she croaked. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Our wedding, Belle! It will be beautiful. We can forget about the takeover and celebrate your health by spending time together." If he was any more excited, he would have jumped around and clapped his hands in glee.

"I hope that a thousand parasites suck your life out of you." She turned her head away.

She felt a bubble of triumph in her chest, but it was short lived.

She felt a sharp sting on her cheek, and gasped at the suddenness of it. The sound registered in her head in memory only. Her face moved to the other side with the force. Her mouth opened to retort, but she froze. She stared at the man sitting at the foot of her bed.

His palms cupped his chin, and he looked entertained.

'Hello,' he mouthed at her, and she almost let out a sob.

Relief.

"Help," she whispered. He shook his head, gently.

"Soon," she heard him say, but his lips didn't move.

A part of her believed that he was a hallucination, an entity conjured by her mind to help her survive.

She closed her eyes, tuned out the enraged abuses Riley was hurling at her and hoped that he meant what he said… that she would receive his help soon.

She would be counting the minutes.

 **.**

 **I shall post on alternate days. It seems that I am writing another story that I need to finish up until a point before I can get into this story again. It has been a while, you see?**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sand.**


	24. Chapter Twenty Three

**Chapter Twenty Three**

 _-Then-_

When she was younger, her mother gave her the same advice that every mother on the planet gives their children; she told Bella to close her eyes and count from one to however long it took for her to fall asleep. Her mind thought she was using the same tactics that time. All she wanted to do was count the minutes until the invisible man—who we now know as our beloved demon butler, at the foot of her bed would help her. Instead, she fell into a deep slumber.

The demon kept watch over her, curiously looking at the men in the room fighting over what to do with the girl. It was evident that Riley's father had very different plans for the girl, while the young man himself wanted nothing more than the perfect arm candy. Now, the butcher was conflicted between whose side he would choose.

The demon knew that it was a matter of time before the mob boss found out that the girl was as stubborn as her father and would not give in to his demands, neither did she have a clue about what plot the boss had hatched. It made her pretty useless to him, but to Edward, it was the perfect opportunity. He could not wait for the poor girl to reach her breaking point, the sooner, the better.

He was hoping that the mob boss would think her useless and throw her away, it would be more tasking on her mind. It would surely fuel her anger.

And as days passed by, he just sat by her feet and witnessed as they interrogated her, treated her like scum when she refused to bend to their will. He was also thrilled by how she refused to look away from him. Even when she told them to choke on their cocks, she stared at him, waiting for him to make a move.

She, though, was convinced that she had gone insane and it was only a matter of time before her mind stopped working. That was probably the reason why she didn't concede to Riley's proposal and the demand that she hand over her father's company (now hers) to the Biers family.

The expectant and almost innocent face of the invisible man brought her some sense of… insanity. It comforted her. It was an odd feeling, putting her faith in something that does not exist. Is this what it feels like to be religious? Believing in a god that does not exist?

Of course, the pain was sobering. She hoped that her insanity would somehow dull the impact of their hits; that her skin wouldn't throb under the bruises.

She didn't know how long she had been there. They had kept her alive with IVs, so it wasn't like she could keep track of the days by the number of meals she was fed.

One day, she just knew that it was coming to an end. Riley hadn't been around for some time, so she was hoping that she wouldn't have to marry the vile man, but she also knew that she was going to die… but not before she went through the excruciating pain.

When she woke up that morning, she knew exactly where to look. He was right there, seated at her foot, staring at her with wonder in his eyes. She smiled at him for the very first time. It was warm and sad.

It took him aback. He was fascinated by how… interesting her reactions were. She didn't do normal human things; maybe that was why she smelled so divine. She was unique.

Pity, he would never see that smile again.


	25. Chapter Twenty Four

**Chapter Twenty Four**

 _-Then-_

"Isabella," the Butcher called. She didn't dignify his presence with a response. That was the only thing in her control at the end of the day, she could keep her dignity and her head held high even if they tortured her to death.

"For fuck's sake, look sharp, girl." The man huffed in annoyance. "Won't be long, though. Mr. Biers has informed me that even if you can't help him, your organs will help him some money."

She wondered how much the man was paid to be given such an undignified job; she hoped it was a good amount because she could not imagine how he felt living in a basement, keeping tabs on a girl who had not taken a shower in god knows how long.

It took her a solid moment to understand what he had just said.

Her eyes widened as she grasped the weight of the situation. For the longest time, she had naively hoped that she would somehow be saved… by the authorities or by some freak of nature, but right in that moment, it dawned on her that even if she tried her very best, she would not be given the privilege to die with her dignity. She would be cut open, her insides splayed out on an examination table, open for the doctor to rummage through... like a garbage dump.

"So, missy… what will it be?" he began again. From the corner of her eyes, she saw him moving towards a set of sharp tools she had never seen before. She noticed that there were no syringes for the anesthetic. Dreadful fear permeated her. She began sweating profusely. But there was this sense of resignation, too. Her hands were tied and her legs were unused. There was no way she would be able to run away even if the opportunity came.

"I have been told to gently cut open your abdomen and extract a long list of your organs… vital ones, too. How long do you think you will survive into the procedure?" He asked, pulling on a pair of surgical gloves.

"I can see why you lost your license," she voiced, the last shred of bravery overcoming her. "You redefine the medieval notion of a doctor as a glorified butcher." She heard a humorous chuckle from beside her.

She had unconsciously looked away from the invisible man and suddenly regretted it.

"Are you the grim reaper?" she asked suddenly. The butcher jolted straight thinking the comment was meant for him.

"What did you say?" he asked her in a raised voice.

"Not to you," she informed him waywardly and put her concentration back on the angelic man who was staring at her the same way he had been doing for the past many days.

"Have you gone mad?" the man asked, but Bella ignored him. She couldn't imagine looking away from him as he ripped her open, so she decided that she would rather look at more pleasant things as long as she could.

"Yes," she said in a clipped voice.


	26. Chapter Twenty Five

**Chapter Twenty Five**

 _-Then -_

"Now, you," she asked the demon, "tell me… are you the reaper?" The man shook his head. "I was thinking that you were because you went back on your promise of helping me out. I am going to die and I am assuming you won't be holding my hands and skipping towards heaven with me." The demon did not answer, but Bella felt better using her sarcasm to relieve some of her anger towards this creature.

The demon, of course, chose not to reply. Not like she expected him to. She was rather surprised that he responded to her previous speculation about his identity. He seemed almost offended by her assumption for some reason.

 _Oh, well_ , she thought, offhandedly. _Not that it matters_.

She heard the door opening and turned to look towards the direction. She saw a group of men filling the room. Her confusion was soon cleared when she felt the doctor untying her legs. She knew what they were here to do—they were here to hold her down and keep guard… just like Old Biers liked to do.

She formed the stupidest plan she had ever thought of. She had no doubt that it would not work, but how could she not try, given the chance?

She waited for the moment the ropes fell away from her legs. She shot up to her feet, but despite wobbling bolted forward. She used the chair that was still attached to her upper body to hit anyone who came near her. She swung her body side to side to move as far as she would go before she felt someone attack into her. She felt backward. She heard the chair crashing onto the floor and shattering at the impact and weight of her body. She heard the sound of her body protesting against the fall and she was sure that she had broken something due to the impact.

She groaned as she tried to roll over. Someone grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her off her back. She was grateful.

Not for long, though. She was thrown into the metallic bed she was usually tied to.

She clenched her jaw through the pain and she this was just a small taste of what was going to follow. She screamed and thrashed, albeit futilely, to stop them from strapping her back onto the bed. She hoped at least that she would not have much energy left to scream when the actual pain began, or that she would pass out or die soon.

She noticed that the demon had moved. He was no longer at her feet but by her head.

"Just a little more," he whispered. She whimpered, trying to plead him to be quick. When he caressed her face, she calmed down. She felt him cup her jaw in the palm of his hand. It was so cold, yet so loving. She cried at his touch.

He pressed his forehead to hers and she sighed, wondering if that was the end of her pain.

It was then that she felt the pain. She was sure that something was digging into her, how could she not? It felt like she was being sawed open and she had no other words to describe the sensation. The sounds accompanying the pain only heightened the agony she felt, yet she was thankful for not having the power to scream.


	27. Chapter Twenty Six

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

 _-Then-_

"What do you want?" she thought at the demon.

"You," he said, pressing his lips gently to hers. She choked on her breath as the pain became unbearable.

"Anything," she mumbled. He smiled. He pulled away from her. The fear and pain multiplied by leaps and bound and she was sure that it was something that he had done in her.

"What do you want?" he asked her, curiously.

"Help," she gasped. His replying smile was blinding. With a click of his fingers, everything seemed to slip away. The world around her melted away and she found herself in a dark void where only the demon and her were present.

"Thank you," she cried.

"Don't thank me. You are saved… now, what do you want?" he asked again. She startled.

"I don't know what you mean…" she gulped.

"I can make all your desires come true."

"To what end?"

"If you hand me over your soul once your desire is fulfilled." She narrowed her eyes at the demon.

"I will do no such thing."

He stepped forward, a strut of a master manipulator. He cupped her face again and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Remember," he whispered. His eyes glowed a violent shade of purple. She breathed in deep as the memory of her fear, the images she had tried to push at the back of her head came back her. The ever present anger intensified. It scared her, but it was too powerful. It ate away the pain and the fear… it grew and grew until each and every thought of hers resonated the hatred she felt towards the people who tortured her.

In that moment, she went through a transformation.

The demon watched in awe as her intent solidified. Her aura changed, her scent grew more potent, and her beaten up body stood straighter. He looked at her with pride and asked her again.

"What do you desire, my mistress?"

She looked at him, really looked at him for the first time and noticed his devotion. His interest and adoration of her astounded him, it gave her immense power.

"I desire revenge." She breathed.

"I want to crush anyone who wishes me harm or comes in my way."

"Yes, my mistress."

"And in return, when my purpose is fulfilled, I will hand over my soul to you, for your personal enjoyment." His eyes twinkled with delight. "But until then you shall serve me and look after my every need."

"Are you sure?" the demon asked.

"Yes."

"How do you know of the contract?" he asked curiously.

"I know an awful lot of things. I hope you can keep up, servant." He threw his head back in laughter.

"I will not forget."


	28. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

 _-Then-_

The world restored around them and she was back in her binds, the pain of being ripped apart present. She looked the demon dead in the eye and gave him his first command.

"Unbind me." Instantly, the binds gave away.

Confusion filled the room.

Who was the naked man in the room? How was Isabella Swan still alive?

"Kill the doctor," she said dully.

"As you wish, my mistress."

He leisurely strolled towards the man, excited that he would get the chance to kill the man. The Butcher had put his mistress through a lifetime of pain, how could her faithful demon let that slide?

He placed one hand on the doctor's shoulder and the other on his hair. He made a fist in the scarce hair on the man's scalp and took great joy in inducing the memories of Isabella's pain into his mind.

The human's eyes rolled back into his skull, but the demon took his time.

When the piece of scum tried to beg for mercy, the demon scoffed and slowly ripped the man's head from his body.

 _Humans are such violent creatures,_ he thought.

The men screamed in horror, the one who was closest to the demon shrank away trying not to be the next victim. Alas, they would not be seeing another sunrise.

He shrugged and began his killing spree.

 **.**

 **This is the end of the background.**

 **Again, apologies. I have been busy with RL. Still am. These updates will be it for a while... a couple of weeks? Let's see. I have written 9 chapters for another story, though. It is a short one, so...**


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